This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of long term betaine intake on the cholesterol and lipid profile of Alentejano (AL) pigs. At ,36 kg body weight (BW), castrated male and female pigs fed a commercial (C) diet, were divided into two groups: i) Group C, consuming the C diet; and ii) Group CB, consuming the C diet supplemented with 1 g/kg betaine. Pigs were slaughtered at ,100 kg BW. Fasting plasma concentrations of protein, urea, glucose, TAG, phospholipids, homocysteine, total and LDL-and HDL-cholesterol were determined. Liver TAG, phospholipids, and total and free cholesterol were analyzed, as well as total lipids, cholesterol contents, and fatty acid (FA) composition of M. semimembranosus and dorsal subcutaneous fat. Betaine supplemented pigs presented significantly higher plasma concentrations of TAG, phospholipids, cholesterol, and lipoprotein cholesterol. The dorsal subcutaneous fat cholesterol concentration was also significantly higher in CB than in C pigs. No differences were detected in the most abundant FA profile (including the unsaturated to saturated FA ratio) of muscle and subcutaneous fat tissues among treatments. These data suggest that betaine induces dyslipidemia, and increases cholesterol concentration in dorsal subcutaneous fat, without affecting the FA profile of M. semimembranosus and dorsal subcutaneous fat. Eur. J. Lipid Sci. Technol. 2010, 112, 295-303 295
Practical applicationsBetaine has been used as a carcass modifier on pigs and also as a homocysteine-lowering agent, the high plasma concentrations of which are considered a risk factor for pathologies such as coronary heart disease (CHD) and atherosclerosis. This work showed no effect of long term betaine consumption (2 g/ d) on body fat deposition and total lipids and FA profile of M. semimembranosus and dorsal subcutaneous fat of pigs. It also showed that betaine consumption induces dyslipidemia, namely by increasing cholesterolemia and the dorsal subcutaneous fat cholesterol concentration, without affecting the FA profile of muscle and fat tissues. These observations indicate that the use of betaine: i) did not alter muscle total lipids and FA profile of the tissues analysed, which would be of concern to consumers' health and to pig producers using betaine as a carcass modifier; but ii) must be further studied since it induces hypercholesterolemia, a CHD risk factor.